Feed a Person, Feed your Soul

Kelli Rodda

It’s the end of the year, and the spirit of giving is in full swing. There are a number of ways to help the needy through local and national organizations. It’s a time when many give toys, blankets, clothes or food.

But something struck me to the core and made me realize it’s not enough. I watched a Frontline episode on PBS titled “Poor Kids.” Filmmaker Jezza Neumann tells the story of poverty and hunger in the U.S. through the eyes of children. He spent months following three young girls who suffer the pangs of nearly constant hunger, the pain of seeing their parent(s) hurting and struggling, and the fear of not knowing what’s in store for them day to day.

If you missed this episode, please find it on the PBS website. Watch it. Turn off your cell phone and other distractions and let the program sink in until you’re squirming with the unpleasant realities of poverty in our country.

Frontline reported that more than 16 million children, or roughly one in five, were living in poverty in 2011, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is higher than any other age group. Brittany Smith is a nine year old whose dad is out of work. Her family never has three meals a day. The only sure meal Brittany receives is from school. Her family of four (they also have a teenage son) buys five frozen pizzas for $10 and makes them last as long as possible. Brittany said fruits and vegetables are too expensive, so they eat frozen pizza. She said the family hadn’t had any fruits or vegetables in two weeks. I was flabbergasted.

Kaylie Hegwood, a 10 year old from the film, describes her hunger. “I’m just starving. When I feel just, like, hungry, ... I’ll feel like— like, I’m so, like, sad and all droopy.”

I had to fight back the tears.

As a growing industry, we can help. You may not be growing food crops, but you can help. Do you have large containers destined for the landfill or the recycler? Can you spare some soil? Get with a seed distributor and offer some of these hungry children and their families in your community the means to grow a few veggies. Do you have room in your propagation house to start a crop of veggies? Ask your local food bank how you can help.

This show convinced me to do more, and not just at the end of the year.

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, feed just one.” — Mother Teresa